Review: Rankin’s Fine-Dining Detective Solves Murders Between Courses in “A Game Called Malice”

Ian Rankin’s beloved detective John Rebus comes to life in the new stage play, “Rebus: A Game Called Malice.” The character’s name, Rebus, hints at puzzles involving images, and this is cleverly woven into the play created by Rankin and co-writer Simon Reade. The storyline hinges on a pictorial challenge that Rebus must unravel.

The play sets the scene at an upscale dinner party in Edinburgh, attended by Rebus and his lawyer friend, with whom he shares a platonic, albeit regretful, relationship. The room where the dinner takes place is adorned with early 20th-century Scottish paintings, resembling an art gallery. These artworks become integral to the plot, proving to be more than just decorative pieces.

As an additional twist, what begins as a fictional crime setup by the hostess Harriet for entertainment between courses, quickly turns serious when a real body is discovered. This adds a layer of excitement for Rankin’s fans, who will appreciate the nod to Jekyll and Hyde, a reference that harkens back to Rankin’s first Rebus book, “Knots and Crosses,” influenced by RL Stevenson’s famous tale.

Rebus dives into connecting the dots between the death and five affluent individuals: Harriet the hostess, her gambler husband, the lawyer, a casino owner, and his much younger influencer partner. There’s a sense of homage to Inspector Goole from JB Priestley’s “An Inspector Calls,” but with a modern twist, given the reliance on mobile phones, making Rebus more akin to “Inspector Google.”

The plot is cleverly elusive, making the script worth a read at £18.99 for its 122 pages. It is both informatively rich and a collector’s item for fans.

Given Rankin’s dedication to aging Rebus in real-time, this play feels like a chapter in the later years of the detective’s life. The enclosed setting—a single room with two critical doors—resonates with Rebus’s current state. The walls seem to be closing in on him. In a program interview, Rankin hints at more confinement for Rebus in the forthcoming 25th novel, “Midnight and Blue”, where the detective becomes a prisoner solving an inside crime.

Grabbing attention in this confined setting, Gray O’Brien brings charm to the role of Rebus, playing him with a dark undertone yet endearing warmth. A poignant moment arises when Rebus delivers bad news, portraying him as a man who has been a harbinger of death far too often.

Running at just two 40-minute acts, the play leaves audiences wanting more, filling an autumn night with intrigue as it tours until November.

• Showing at Cambridge Arts Theatre until 7 September, then touring.

Source: The Guardian